Her Hillbilly Highness

First we had snow, then we had Easter. I need to catch up on my pictures so here goes.

The kids loved the snow! It's not often that we get snow in April. I think that it may have followed Keith and Nancy from Arkansas.



Here are the pictures before church on Easter Sunday. Now I can see why I am getting professional pictures taken next week. Kylie really thinks it's funny when Riley closes his eyes, though.




Then we went to my parents for lots of food followed by an egg hunt. My kids were the only kids there, thank goodness for no competition! Also, Nana and Poppy gave the kids Easter baskets. They picked out Dora for Kylie and Spongebob for Riley. Riley's basket had a pinwheel in it and that's when all heck broke loose. Kylie swelled up and let Nana know that she wanted a pinwheel too. (We are learning to ALWAYS buy them the same thing!!) So, my Aunt Becky MADE her a pinwheel and she was happy once again.









Here's a picture of my dad and my younger brother, Jeff. Funny how they are starting to look alike!


Lastly, here is Alan's attempt at comedy.

If you watched Oprah today, then you saw just a glimpse into the lives of autism and how it affects so many people worldwide. Kudos to Oprah for finally doing a show on something that needs to be noticed and shown great compassion for. I watched the show and I just have to say that after seeing it, I am so thankful for my little Riley!

Oprah had a panel of about five parents with children on the spectrum of Autism. Not one of them had any of the same things going on as Riley and that really goes to show you how wide the spectrum can be. They also discussed a documentary that shows some of the struggles in dealing with Autism. The documentary that Oprah is referring to is not one that I reccommend seeing. When I watched it, I was sick to my stomach for days. Yeah, it's real, but I saw no hope for the kids with autism or their parents. I saw single parents living in a prison 24/7 and very frustrated individuals. Let me say it again, I am so thankful for my little Riley!

Here are some of the points that I made while watching the show:

Lost
We never "lost" Riley. By that I mean that he was never fully talking and attentive and then one day......nothing. He developed normally but his communication was never up to par. He did babble, though. I remember trying to get him to say "bean" for jelly bean at 15 months and he would look at me and struggle but could not say it. That would be my very first clue that something was wrong.

Loving
Riley is VERY loving, to me especially. He hugs on me and will even say, "I love you" after I say it and I believe that he knows what that means. The hardest part is watching him with grandparents or family and him not responding the way that a "normal" three year old should. I know that this is hard for the family and it really breaks my heart for them. I think that sometimes Alan feels this way, too since he is more of a playmate to Riley than a caregiver.

TalkingIt took a long time for Riley to repeat things but now, at three, he will repeat and often come up with words of his own. He won't say "Mommy" and "Daddy" without us prompting him, but at least he says it. I feel that with lots more therapy, he will eventually be asking for things and communicating instead of dragging my arm to what he needs.

His Sister
I feel for Kylie because she loves him so much and really wants him to play like a sibling should. I am really excited for her to go to Kindergarten because I am hoping that she will meet some playmates in our area and not rely on Riley so much. They do have their little games that they play and you can tell that he really thinks she's neat! These times mean so much to me and I often stop what I am doing just to watch the few minutes of brotherly/sisterly love.

Stimming
This is something that was really hard to watch a little over a year ago. Riley would just spin around and around and would not stop unless you made him. Now he flaps and plays with his hands but we really try to redirect him without making him really angry. I believe that he will always have some sort of stimming going on.

Frustration
Riley is really a pretty happy little boy. He does not want to share and that is definitely where most of the frustration lies. He is never just frustrated, either. There is always something behind it and he can communicate what the problem is pretty well.

Socialization
Riley is not afraid of people. He won't go hide in a corner. If there are kids yelling and screaming, he will be right in the middle of them. He also likes to watch older kids. The other day, he threw a football with two older boys at Kylie's soccer practice. Of course, he will not sit in a circle and attend with other three year olds but that is what they are working on at school. Maybe someday.

Sleep Habits
Riley has normal sleep habits so far...I'm knocking on wood right now. He goes to bed at 8-8:30 and wakes up at 7-7:30 and will take a nap on some days. I really hope this doesn't change because I really need my sleep!

Eating Habits
I don't think that he has eaten a green vegetable in his life. He has nothing to do with fruit, he used to like bananas but doesn't anymore. He has recently started eating hot dog weinies and I am thrilled with that! Yogos, goldfish, fast food........Yeah, don't talk to me about your picky three year old that won't eat brussel sprouts!!!

So, that is just a glimspe into our lives. We have good days and bad. I am constantly keeping my eye on him and trying to teach him something every chance I get. It is exhausing and it is VERY expensive. The hardest is definitely going to church. Until we find a babysitter on Sunday mornings, we will not be sitting in the auditorium any longer. Another option is to find a church where special needs are met, but we love our church. Catch 22.

I could go on and on but for the first time in my life, I am trying to be positive about Riley's future and also be filled with hope. I have specific prayers for Riley and I really feel that this great responsibility was given to Alan and I for a reason. Maybe I prayed for patience too much. Or maybe He is making me stop and see the beauty in all things created. Whatever the reason, I am thankful for my little Riley!

We took time out to pose in the bluebonnets today.

I had a wonderful birthday this year! It seems like it just keeps getting better every year. Well, except for my 16th birthday when my parents bought me that Honda. It may have been used but I was so surprised!! It was the first present that I actually didn't know about beforehand. Yes, I like to snoop for my presents and I usually find them. Don't hide them in the closet or under the bed if you don't want me to find them. Once at Christmas, my mom actually just stacked unwrapped, untaped boxes in her room. Oh, yeah, I knew everything I was gettin' that year!

So anyway back to my birthday. Alan took off work and he and the kids took me to breakfast at Mimi's. It was delicious and Kylie got her blueberry pamcakes. Alan and I got an omelet since we are trying to watch our carbs. Then, we headed towards Dallas because it was not raining and we actually went to the Dallas Zoo. I was all dressed up in heels but I didn't care. I wanted my babies to have a fun day. Kylie got a ladybug umbrella and Riley carried around a snake in the giftshop. We got it for him because he wouldn't put it down and was hissssss -ing all over the shop. It was a great day for the zoo because a handful of people were there and it was cool outside. The only thing I can complain about is the primates. We didn't see a one and they are one of my favorites! I guess they thought it was going to rain, too.

The kids had a blast and loved seeing the penguins! Riley liked the monkeys and couldn't stop saying, "monkey"! Cute! Next we went to the Dallas World Aquarium. I was really impressed with this place but didn't bring my camera inside. I guess I thought it would be too dark but it was like a rain forest in there. We actually were very close to a sloth! Riley LOVES aquariums. He had a blast. We didn't take the stroller in for him but he stayed with us the whole time and we were very pleased with that. I have tried to recommend the DWA to all my friends but it seems that I am the last one to know about the place. I really need to get out more.

Nana and Poppy took the kids Friday night so Alan and I could have alone time and we had errands and I had a massage the next day. That night we went to Glorias then over to my parents for presents and visiting with family. It was a great weekend! Below are some fun pictures!